Carlos Hermosillo

Carlos Manuel Hermosillo Goytortúa (born 24 August 1964) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a forward. He is also known as El Grandote de Cerro Azul ("The big tall one from Cerro Azul").

Over an 18-year professional career, Hermosillo won seven Primera División titles, and topped the league in scoring for three consecutive seasons. His legacy is closely tied to two clubs: Club América, where he made his professional debut, and Cruz Azul, where he remains the all-time leading scorer. He stands as the second-highest goalscorer in the history of Mexico's top division, trailing only Cabinho.

On the international stage, Hermosillo retired as Mexico’s all-time leading scorer with 34 goals. He represented his country at two FIFA World Cups, in 1986 and 1994.

Career Hermosillo started his club career with América during the 1983–84 season. He spent most of his club career in his native Mexico, also playing for Monterrey, Cruz Azul, Necaxa, Atlante, and Chivas. Carlos' best two seasons as a player were in 1994–95 and 1995–96, when he scored 35 and 36 goals respectively for Cruz Azul.

Hermosillo made two stints of career football outside Mexico: Belgium's Standard Liège in 1989–90 and Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy in 1998–99. For Galaxy, he scored 14 goals and 15 assists in two regular seasons, adding five goals and an assist in the playoffs.

On 17 August 1986, he sparked an all-out war with Guadalajara's Fernando Quirarte that included others from either side; he was suspended for 12 games.

Hermosillo was once the all-time goalscoring leader for the national team with 34 goals in official matches and 35 goals in all matches (90 caps between 1984 and 1997). He played in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, in which he could not use his favoured no. 27 jersey due to FIFA's numbering rules for official competitions.

Since 1 December 2006, Carlos Hermosillo was named the minister of Mexico national sporting policy, Comisión Nacional del Deporte (National Commission for Sports). President Felipe Calderón included him in cabinet-level matters.

With an 18-year career with eight different clubs, Hermosillo retired. He last played with Guadalajara in 2001. He had a retirement game playing with Cruz Azul, his favorite team before professional play was Cruz Azul, also he won a championship with Cruz Azul in 1997.

Career statistics Scores and results list Mexico's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Hermosillo goal.

Honours América Mexican Primera División: 1983–84, 1984–85, Prode-85, 1987–88, 1988–89 Campeón de Campeones: 1988, 1989 CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 1987

Cruz Azul Mexican Primera División: Invierno 1997 Copa México: 1996–97 CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 1996, 1997

Los Angeles Galaxy Supporters' Shield: 1998 Western Conference Regular Season: 1998

Necaxa Mexican Primera División: Invierno 1998

Individual Mexican Primera División Golden Ball: 1994–95 Mexican Primera División Golden Boot: 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96 Mexican Primera División Best Forward: 1994–95, 1995–96 CONCACAF Champions' Cup Golden Boot: 1996, 1997 Copa México Golden Boot: 1995–96, 1996–97 MLS All-Star: 1999

Records Cruz Azul All Time Top Scorer: 198 goals